Cafe Un Deux Trois, Midtown
Right off Times Square, the French Cafe Un Deux Troisis a decent pre-theater dining destination. (Generous three course theater prix fixe for just $28!) It is also the location of one of my all time favorite New York moments.
The food is nothing extraordinary, although I only had the hamburger frites…and my very own extra large creme brulee. (Felt just like Kevin McCallister when that puppy came out.) What I love is the restaurant’s ambiance; it strikes the perfect balance between boisterous brasserie with whimsical white twinkly lights and refined dining under crystal chandeliers. It’s very Parisian and New York feeling at the same time, and although I tend to favor 20-seat neighborhood joints, this giant room definitely was a fun change.
While dining here last weekend before a show, a fully decked Santa brought out posters depicting the Twelve Days of Christmas, selected various tables to hold the cards up, and had the entire restaurant sing together. We were seated next to the Five Golden Rings family, who definitely did the most joyous verse justice.
My initial thought was “how tacky!” but it actually was so fun for everyone in the restaurant to come together and sing and laugh instead of staying buried in their own private conversations. When does that ever happen in New York? It felt sort of like a flash mob, and it definitely boosted up my Christmas spirit.
